Serial shooter suspect's wild accusations as he takes stand

PHOENIX - Dale Hausner, the accused serial shooter, took the stand in his own defense on Monday.

Hausner testifies in his defense

When asked point blank by his attorney, 'Are you the serial shooter?,' his answer was no. Hausner did describe his drug abuse and his tendencies to stay up late driving around the Valley but never did he admit to a shooting.

On the witness stand in his own defense Hausner was fighting for his life. He admitted to drug use. When shown a picture submitted as evidence he said, "That's my meth pipe." Hausner said he thought that was why police arrested him but soon he says he figured out he was a suspect in the serial shooter case. He told the court, "I absolutely was dumbfounded. I couldn't believe it. I almost thought it was a joke."

Those were stinging words for Paul Patrick, who survived his attack but squirmed in court as he heard the testimony. Patrick admits, "I think it's all pretty much lies. It just twists my guts. Sometimes it's hard to just sit there."

Earlier in the trial Hausner's one-time friend and roommate Sam Dieteman took the stand admitting to shooting Patrick, who now says, "He owned up to it. Dale has not, he has gone to great lengths to tear down Sam. He's the only one who stood up in this whole thing."

Dieteman, who has pleaded guilty in two of the killings, says he did not take part in all the attacks. In the meantime Hausner maintains he did not take part in any.

He said on the stand, "I thought, thought operative word that I knew Sam Dieteman. I never thought he was a cold-blooded killer. I absolutely could not believe that they thought I would kill innocent people...just amazing to me."

Day 2 of Hausner's testimony starts Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. with prosecutors planning to cross examine the suspected shooter on Wednesday.